Imshallen
IMSHALLEN (Site) CHARACTER Imshallen is a place of legend in the elemental planes. Supposedly formed with equal parts of every element, it is said to be as big as an average Prime world. It moves throughout all of the elements, seemingly at random. What function it serves, if any, is unknown. All that is known is that the Elementals refuse to speak of it, Genie-kind denies its existence, and the Powers seem to not even know about it (or so they claim). Chant ranges from it being a prison for the Elder Elemental God to it being the template by which the multiverse builds prime worlds. Another legend speaks of a book hidden in an immense tower on Imshallen that holds the secrets to the creation of the multiverse. The true dark of it may never be known. DESCRIPTION An entire planet formed from some type of translucent crystal. From deep inside one can vaguely see pure elemental fire surging at the core. Upon it's surface, oceans of elemental water shift and transform as the crystal continents slowly change their shape before a sods eyes. The color of the land ranges across the spectrum in perfectly blending, yet slightly chaotic patterns. The only thing that is missing is life. When standing on the surface it appears very similar to an average prime world, complete with trees and rivers and mountains. Almost everything is made of this unbreakable color-changing crystal substance however (even the leaves and flowers), and can be at least partially seen through. Even though the grass is made of this odd material, it is just as soft as the real thing, though trimming it is another matter entirely. Also of note is that the sky shows the plane that the world is passing through, so lighting conditions may vary from hour to hour or even minute to minute in some cases. The temperature and wind can also vary dramatically within short periods of time. Temperatures can go from freezing to desert-hot with little or no warning, creating fierce short-lived storms. If all of this wasn't enough to contend with, the additional danger of the everchanging coastlines and terrain adds even more to its perilous nature. One could make camp in a green prairie beneath a bright blue sky and awaken at the top of a teal mountain with a swirling rainbow sky and hellish heat. Such radical overnight changes are fairly rare but they could happen suddenly and quite violently. When Imshallen shifts to another plane, a wave not unlike an aurora passes from horizon to horizon within seconds, revealing the destination as it does so. How the outside plane is kept at bay is unknown. Settlements No signs of civilization can be seen anywhere upon the surface or below it. The only feature that comes close is that of the Tower. Standing almost two miles high and over a two hundred feet across at its diameter, it is an imposing sight. No windows or doors adorn its grey marble-like exterior. Some type of ancient runes (similar in form to those found on the obelisks in the Grey Waste and carvings seen close to the Spire) completely cover the surface, each rune being almost the height of a man. No spell or tome known to mortals can decypher them. According to legend, a key forged by all of the elements combined will unlock a hidden entrance to the Tower, but this is probably screed. Because of the shifting nature of the terrain, the Tower seems to move quite frequently (it actually remains in one place as things move around it), and has been known to be buried inside mountains and in the middle of oceans. As there are no other landmarks, nor any true north or south, it could easily be said the Tower sits at the top of the world. Magic Magic is altered greatly here. All elemental spells are magnified to twice their potency, with the exception of elemental summonings (which are not possible). Conjurations/summonings, divinations, and illusions do not function at all. This also extends to locating Imshallen, which cannot be done except by sight. Spells that teleport or bend space/time also do not function. Invocation/evocations, necromantics, and chaos magic work at maximum power while all other magic works normally. Drinking the water acts as a healing potion (most probably a side effect from the positive energy of the world), but for every point of damage it restores there is a 1% chance (cumulative per lifetime, checked after each draught) of the drinker turning into the same substance that forms Imshallen. Only a percentage equal to that which was rolled is actually transformed, and only a Wish can undo the damage. The effect starts in the skin and works its way inside. A good rule of thumb is that anything more than 25% transformed will kill an average sod. Even if it is a very tiny percentage it will be quite painful. Because of this, and the fact that their are no animals or plants to eat, anyone making the journey to Imshallen should take care to bring plenty of supplies. Portals There are no known portals to Imshallen, but many elemental vortices exist that link it to various parts of the elemental planes, and possibly a few prime worlds (usually quite 'young' ones). But even these are nearly impossible to find as they look like any other vortex. Some greybeards claim that such vortices are the areas where Imshallen makes its shift between planes, causing a kind of backwash (they also claim this as the reason for many elemental pockets). Another way to enter would be to fly down to the surface via spell, item, or vessel (as the 'sky' is only ten miles deep this isn't too difficult). Teleportation, astral travel, and similar magics do not work. Not even a Wish can get a body there. Over the countless millenia, untold numbers of planewalkers have gotten lost and ended up on Imshallen or voyaged long and hard to reach it only to be stranded. One may occasionally run across still in tact 'statues' of said beings and even their shattered equipment. Finding long-abandoned boats high in the mountains or mountain shacks floating in the ocean would not be impossible. Services No services exist on Imshallen, but there are a few resources or things of interest to travelers. One of the only things of value is the crystal the planet itself iscomposed of. Collecting large amounts of it can prove to be quite challenging as it is harder than diamond and nearly impossible to melt. The main difficulty is that if any of it is brought beyond Imshallen, it becomes normal quartz crystal after only a few days. The healing water is also something that a desperate berk might want, as it will clean out any disease he might have. Even such things as mummy rot, vampirism, and lycanthropy are said to be curable. Although the danger of turning into solid crystal for his efforts mightput him of a mind to find a cleric instead. It retains this odd healing power for a short timeafter leaving Imshallen as well. Due to its properties, the water can be used to make magical items related to the spell stone-to-flesh and its reverse. Most purposeful travelers go in search of the Tower and the secrets that lie within it. In all of recorded history no known mortal being has ever breached the tower and lived to speak of it. But, as many a sage has said, it must be there for a reason and to be so well hidden at the very heart of creation begs one to ask why. History Only recently has a group of reputable planewalkers actually found Imshallen and returned alive. They had survived weeks there from various accounts. Five of the six joined the Athar immediately upon return to the Cage. All are now missing. They supposedly mounted an expedition to the Spire not long ago and vanished. Why they did this is a mystery to even the faction high-ups. The sixth was seen wandering off into theHive mumbling to himself about a key less than a week ago. Chant is that they stumbled uponsome incredible dark on Imshallen that drove them all barmy. The crystalized body of a well-known Plumarch Rilmani was just found outside the gate town of Tradegate. Around its neck was a wooden sign with the symbol of an eye within an eye painted expertly on it. An Elvish rune meaning 'First Light/Dawn' was drawn beneath it. The PTC is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. Several theives guilds,the anarchists, the harmonium, the free league, and a few sects are also interested in this turn of events. Category:Locations in the Inner Planes